Letter from Roger Brioult to Paul Magès (23 November 1981)

In this document

A letter from Résenlieu to Ramatuelle

Roger Brioult, an automotive technical journalist, writes from the Château de Résenlieu (Gacé) to Paul Magès, then living at "24 Allée des Lauriers Roses, Mas de Cybèle" in Rampelonne, 83350 Ramatuelle p. 1 — a commune where Magès retired after his career at Citroën, and where he would soon hold municipal mandates (list of members of the Ramatuelle municipal council). The letter opens with wishes for good health and a personal technical allusion: Brioult mentions a pump he calls his "heart", which "is not working very well", suggesting that a "barrel model might, perhaps, have worked better" p. 1. He specifies that he wants to "finish [his] book without wasting too much time" p. 1.

A network of former Citroën employees

Brioult recounts having seen or met several former Citroën staff: Messrs. Maignan, Louis, Né, Nougarou ("seen twice"), Henry Biabaud, as well as Mr. Wolgenrin[uncertain] and Mr. Coton p. 2. He reports that "everyone spoke to me about you" and sends their regards, and describes Magès as the "No. 1 of Citroën technique" p. 1-2.

The book project

Brioult insists on the seriousness of his book project, wishing it to be "complete and useful for the History of the automobile", "full of respect and enthusiasm" for the work of Magès and his team p. 2. He requests a new visit "towards the beginning of the year", mentions his age ("at 60 years old") and his intention to take a plane and rent a car for this trip p. 2-3. He wishes to present his "literature" and submit "various information from all origins" p. 3.

The letter closes with tributes to Madame Magès, whose "welcome and kindness" Brioult "greatly appreciated" p. 3, and with a postscript promising to submit the texts before publication, to return the photos with an extra set, and to send a copy of "documentation of [his] own design" p. 3.

Context

Paul Magès is, in the history of Citroën, the engineer behind the hydropneumatic suspension, an iconic system of the DS then adapted for several models of the brand, developed after a 49-year career at Citroën which began in August 1925 (autobiographical notes). Retired from Citroën since September 1974 (photographs of the retirement), Magès settled in Ramatuelle, in the Var, where this letter finds him in 1981. Roger Brioult, a journalist specializing in automotive technique, dedicated part of his work to the history of Citroën, notably through books retracing the technical innovations of the brand with the chevrons. The names cited (Maignan, Louis, Né, Nougarou, Biabaud) likely refer to former engineers or collaborators of the Citroën design office, without the document specifying their functions further.

Archivist's perspective

This letter, written in 1981, is likely part of the preparation for a book by Roger Brioult dedicated to Citroën and its engineers, for which Magès seems to be a central source, if not the central source p. 1-2. The tone is warm and deferential: Brioult expresses an almost intimidated admiration ("I would never have dared to hope for it!", p. 2) which sheds light on the symbolic place occupied by Magès among witnesses and chroniclers of Citroën history at that time.

The allusion to the "heart" pump that "is not working very well" p. 1 is a curious detail: it seems to indicate that Brioult, as a passionate technician, was experimenting himself with hydraulic devices inspired by the work of Magès — a tenuous but revealing clue of the intellectual proximity between the two men.

This piece would benefit from being compared with any responses from Magès or other correspondence from Brioult kept in the collection, if they exist, to follow the progress of the book project mentioned here.